Warmth
by Siara Elen
Summary: One shot tag to 4x02, White Out. Emma and David have some late night father and daughter bonding, with Baby Neal along for cuddles and snacks. Because I'm a sucker for the two of them and I needed a post-episode emotional debrief. Enjoy (I hope)! Rated T for the squeamish, purely for a slightly tasteless joke. If I could add an third genre category it would be angst.


**A/N: Hello Oncers! This is my tag to episode 4x02 White Out, an Emma and David bonding moment, because as much as I love Hook and am glad that he and Emma seem to be moving forward (if somewhat glacially, pun intended) I needed a little more Dad and Daughter stuff at the end. It's not the most original title, I'm aware. Just a little one shot based on the fact that there's more than one kind of warmth. **

**Standard disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time, the characters, the town or anything but my sad obsession. I intend no copyright infringement and this is just for fun.**

**I apologise for any mistakes. I proofread, but I'm too impatient to work with a beta. **

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**Warmth**

**Once Upon a Time in a pretty little loft apartment in a quaint little town called Storybrooke, there lived a princess with a knack for getting into trouble...**

Emma woke and blinked against the darkness. She looked at the clock. 3.16am. She had finally warmed up enough that the blankets cocooning her felt oppressively hot so she cast off some layers and dug around inside to pull out the hot water bottles.

Hook was fast asleep next to her still fully dressed, lying on top of the covers, his right arm resting protectively over her body. She smiled at the sight. For such a shameless flirt, he had been incredibly gentle and comforting with an injured loved one. And she was starting to accept that she was a loved one to him. And he was very beautiful in repose. It may just be time to think about scheduling a real first date, she thought.

She whimpered slightly, realising that it wasn't only the heat that had woken her. She needed to use the bathroom and it really wasn't going to wait until morning. She moved as quietly as possible, managing to shimmy out without waking Hook.

Opening the door to a soft light coming from downstairs she realised she wasn't the only one awake. It was obviously one of Neal's regularly scheduled let's wake up Mom and Dad appointments. She was glad, she didn't want to wake Hook who was obviously exhausted, but now she was up, she didn't feel like going straight back to sleep and she could use some company.

She tiptoed downstairs and met her Dad's surprised smile with one of her own. His usually neat hair was sticking up in unruly tufts and he was wearing only boxer shorts. He was cradling Neal against his chest as he warmed a bottle of milk in a pan of water.

'Hey, how're you feeling? You ok?' he asked.

'A lot better,' she replied.

'Thank goodness,' he sighed and she watched his shoulders relax as he took in her improved condition with a practiced investigative eye. Satisfied that she was getting back to normal he seemed to suddenly realise something as his eyes widened.

'Sorry, I'll go put some pajamas on,' he said, looking embarrassed. 'It's just with the heat up to the max it felt like the tropics in here.'

'Hey don't worry about it. I think that's why I woke up. Definitely not cold anymore. I'll turn the thermostat down. Back in a sec,' she said nodding towards the bathroom to indicate her other reason for being up. 'While you're on late night snack duty can you put some hot chocolate on for me? I'm not feeling very sleepy right now, I'll keep you company.'

'Sure,' he smiled widely, and she felt touched to see how much he liked to be asked to do something for her and to know that she wanted to spend some time with him.

When she returned he'd somehow managed to get some pajama bottoms on while still holding Neal, now managing two pans on the stove and telling the baby about the best way to make cocoa. She recalled achieving that sort of multi-tasking feat in her fake raising baby Henry memories. Definitely a parent thing.

'So is mom asleep?'

He nodded.

'I didn't hear Neal crying,' she observed, taking a seat at the counter.

'I wasn't sleeping, I was too wired from today. I heard him wake up and managed to pre-empt him for once. Mary Margaret's exhausted. She could really use an uninterrupted night.'

David carefully avoided alluding to the fact of Hook still upstairs in Emma's room. Clearly he was sleeping or Emma wouldn't be down here talking to him.

'I guess there probably weren't innovations like breast pumps in the Enchanted Forest,' she said, indicating the milk he was warming. 'There's something to be said for living in this world, from a shared responsibilities point of view, huh.'

'Yeah, I mean we never got the chance to look into something like that back when you were born, but I guess you're probably right. And I mean, I know how to milk a farm animal into a bucket, but I'm not sure your mom would have appreciated that kind of treatment even in exchange for a good night's sleep.'

Emma snorted, tried and failed to pull her face straight and then dissolved into helpless, almost silent hysterics while David looked on, barely managing to keep his own composure.

Eventually she managed to pull herself back together, wiping her eyes. 'Sorry, that was not an image I ever expected to visualise.'

David handed her a sheet of kitchen roll for the tears of laughter. 'Don't apologise. For a while there today I was so scared I'd never hear you laugh again.'

'Yeah. Heck of a day, huh,' she replied.

He nodded then took the bottle of milk from the pan and tested it on his arm. Satisfied, he turned off the burner and offered the bottle to Neal, who hummed happily and began sucking like a baby possessed.

Emma took over the cocoa making and when it was ready, poured it into two mugs. They headed for the sofa.

'You sure you're warm enough?' he asked. 'I can get you a blanket.'

'No, I'm pretty much back to normal. I'm good with the hot cocoa. And you're right; it's like the Bahamas in here.'

She watched Neal happily drinking his milk while David's large hand rubbed soothing circles on the baby's tummy and for a moment she felt a terrible pang of loss as she thought of the times she would have done anything to be able to feel his strong, loving embrace surrounding her in safety when she was sad or hurt as a little girl.

And then she recalled his observation earlier that day, that Henry's refusal to hug her was not a bolt out of the blue given his mothers' attitudes to hugs. She reminded herself that while she didn't have her Dad when she was a child, she had him now and he was more than happy to give her whatever affection, encouragement, advice, protection and support she would accept from him.

She'd been pretty out of it in the ice cave, but her father's voice coming through the walkie talkie, encouraging and persuading Elsa to focus her magic had come loud and clear through her own fuzzy thoughts, letting her know he was fighting for her, that she was going to survive, and that she'd be back safe and sound with him soon.

She shuffled closer and leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder and linking her arm through his. 'Thank you for saving my life today,' she said.

'You're welcome,' he replied. 'I just hope I never need to do it again.'

'Me too.' She reached over and stroked Neal's downy hair. 'He's so beautiful and perfect,' she said.

'He is. You were too, you know. You still are.'

He kissed the top of her head. 'I've seen a lot of magic, Emma, but you and Neal are miracles.'

Emma was too overwhelmed to reply. The last sliver of ice melted from her heart and she felt warm to the core of her soul. Tears sprang again to her eyes, not tears of laughter like a moment ago in the kitchen or tears of despair like those she'd cried many times alone in her past, but tears of love and gratitude and joy.

'I love you, Emma. I know it freaks you out to hear it, but I almost lost you today and it made me realise I just need to say it more often. And maybe if I do, you'll get used to it.'

'I'd like that,' she managed to whisper around the huge lump in her throat. 'I love you too, Dad.'

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**And they all lived happily ever after. The end.**

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**Reviews are better than birthday cake...**

**Until next time, kids!**


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